The district received results on Dec. 7 from the state-mandated water testing performed at Shaker Junior High School.

The water quality testing was performed in accordance with legislation signed by Governor Cuomo on September 6 that requires all New York State public schools to test all sources of potable water for lead contamination. The State Department of Health and State Education Department have established an action level threshold of 15 parts per billion (PPB). Water sources that test higher must be immediately taken out of service and corrective action must be taken.

41 of 161 locations tested above the allowable 15 parts per billion:

Location

Parts per billion

Kitchen right sink

16

C110 sink by teacher

50

C110 sink left of the window

17

C110 sink by the wall on left

55

C110 sink by wall on right

44

Science work room sink

17

C109 sink by door

36

C109 sink at the wall on right

50

C109 sink by window left

37

C109 sink by window right

42

C109 sink by teacher

110

B110 sink by the teacher

26

B110 science workroom sink

22

B109 sink by the door

43

B109 sink by the wall on right

121

B109 sink by the wall right, second one

59

B109 sink by the window right

432

B109 sink by the teacher

72

B209 sink by the door

17

B209 sink by the wall on the right

30

B209 sink by the wall on left

59

B209 sink by the window on the right

117

B209 sink by the window on left

17

B209 sink by the teacher

680

B209 sink in the science workroom

22

B210 sink by the teacher

67

B210 sink by the window on right

24

B210 sink by the window on left

18

B210 sink along the wall on the right

21

B210 sink by the wall on the left

26

C210 sink by the wall on the right

24

C210 sink by the wall on the left

25

C210 sink by the window on the right

29

C210 sink by the window on the left

88

C210 sink by the teacher

83

C210 sink in the science workroom

24

C209 sink by the teacher

29

C209 sink by the window on the right

17

C209 sink by the window on the left

30

C209 sink along the wall on right

22

C209 sink on the wall left

160

The district immediately shut off water to the affected sources and have marked each “Out of service, do not use” until further testing can be conducted and next steps can be determined. If the results continue to show actionable levels of lead, the district will work to replace or remediate the affected water pipes and fixtures. As a follow-up, additional water tests will be conducted to determine if the replacement/remediation was successful before placing the faucets back in service.

It is important to note that the North Colonie Central School District has followed its own water testing protocols initiated a decade ago, long before the state enacted legislation, to ensure the quality of drinking water in our schools. Since then, district staff has conducted random sampling of drinking water sources at all sites in the district and those samples have been tested at Bender Labs, a state-certified testing laboratory in Albany. During the last 10 years, the results have consistently shown that drinking water sources at each of our schools have tested below the actionable level set by the state.

As we have said before, please be assured that we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure the quality of drinking water throughout our district meets the state regulations. We will keep you informed as we continue to receive the results of the ongoing water testing at our schools.